Needle valve



AAprll 23, 1935. P. A. KlNzlE 1,998,459

NEEDLE VALVE Filed Dec. 28, 1952 2 sheets-sheetil Syd P. A. KINZIE NEEDLE VALVE Filed Dec. 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 23, 1935.

lill

Patented Apr. 23, 1935 UNITED sintes- AParresv oFFicE-l Universal Hydraulic Corporation, Denver, Colo., a corporati'onrof Colorado ApplicatienDecember 28, 1932, SerialNo. 649,223

2l Claims. (Cl. 1377-139) This invention relates to needle valves, and' ject is to provide a needle valve of the type more particularly to a valve that is well adaptincluding a plurality of chambers for receiving ed for the control of a drum or ring gate valve pressurer fluid, and which includes simplified vent iny response to small' changes in the position of and: passages and ports for ventingv air from 5 a control element which' is actuatedv by changes the chambers: and for draining/,J When occasion 5H in the Water level at the drum orA ring gate. requires, pressure fluid from all chambers. A

The invention will be described With reference further: object is to provide a valver of the type to this use of the valve, but it will' be apparent in which the needle has a head slidable upon a that the invention is not'limi'teol thereto since, diaphragm tube which supports a diaphragm l0 for other ields of use, the control element of Within the needle, thereby to provide tWopres- 10 the valve may be automatically adjusted by va- Sure chambers Withintheneedle, andI Which inriations in some factor other than Water level, clu'des permanently open vents for discharging or it may be adjusted manually. air trom both chambers into a cavity Within the Where large volumes oi'vvaterare released froml valve which is continuously Vented to atmos- 15 reservoirs or iorebays, and conditions are suchv phere: 16

as to make it desirable or essential to control Another object is to provide a valve of the typey the iiuid level to close limi-'ts automatically' over in which a needle slides Within an interior Valve long periods oi operation, some form of fl'oat'- casing or cylinder, and which includes a loridge` able overflow Weir crests such asd1un-I gates or member extending across the cylinder, the bridge ring gates are usually employed to accomplish member contributing toV the support of a dia-V 20- this' result by lowering these ii'ovv controlling. phragm tube which extends into the needle and: crests so increasing the outflow from the're'shaving pressure inlet and4 exhaustv passages comervoir in equal measure to an increasing inow municatin'g with correspondingY passages in the H therein, and conve sely by raising the: flow con.- diaphragm tube. Gther objects of the inventionto trolling crests and so reducing the outflovvv in are to provide, in a valve of the needle type,4 25 equal measure to a diminishing in'ovv'. y improved constructions of the diaphragm'. tuloe lnservicesuch asthi's, theY large storage ca- Which extends into and supports a diaphragm pacity of the fluid reservoirs with Whichsucl'l. Within the needle, the tube constitutinga portion apparatus is usually associated, causes the flucci the pressure inlet and exhaust passages` lead.- to tua-ting cycles or the fluid' level to be very slow, ing toi pressure chambers within `the needle. Y 3o.V and in consequence of' thisv fact, the movements: These and other objects andr advantagesY of. or" the controlling media by which compensatthe invention vrill be apparent fromY the following corrections are made inr the level' of the: ing specication, When taken with the accom.- buoyant weirs are, necessarily, likewise. equally' panying drawings, in which: 3J slow, so that in some instances the movement Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal section taken 35 0i their parte is so gradual as to` be impercepupon. the center line of' a valve embodying the tibi-e to the observer. This condition necessitates invention, the needle being shown in the openy equipment of a high order of sensitivity to in.- position; p sure that it will respond to these minute' val'i'g.` 2 isV a vertical transversey sectionY taken. ria-tions as they occur and, by close regulation upon the line 2 2 of Fig. l, but showing. the. 40 of the fluid released from the flotation chamneedle inthe closed position;

1ers of the buoyant Weirs, shift the position of Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken upon the their over-how crests in correct response to these line 3 3 of Fig, 1; SG'vVlY Vari/ills CODdli'OllS in Sll'Ch manlief aS 60 Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken upon the.

iii maintain the fluid level constant. 1in@ 4 4 0f. Fig, 1; 45

An object of the invention is to provide anee- Fig, 5 is a, horizontal section taken substandie V ve ci improved Construction Whichvvill rel15min; upon the line 5 5 of Fig; 1;

etvely and aufaey OfSIil-ll Chlgs Fig.v 6 a horizontal section taken upon the e adjustment of the control element 'oi' the' une 6 6 0f Fig, 2;

nn object is to providev a needleV Valve in Fig. '7 is a vertical section taken uponl the line 50- W .ch two pressure chambers are formed. With- 'p 'of Fig 1; and in toe needle, and in which all passages and Fig. 8 isa horizontal section through tube 35l perl-S for Supplying pres-sure ilu'd to and ex'- of Fig. 1, taken just below the under side ofhausting the from the pressure chamcap 32A.

55 bers are formed withinthe-valve easing; An ob- In the several figures, in which like parts. are 5.5f

indicated by like numerals throughout, the reference numeral l designates the valve body, col prising an outer casing 2 concentrically disposed about the inner cylinder 3 and connected 'thereto by radial ribs 4, the casing 2 having a main conduit inlet 5 whose outer portion terminates in a circular vertical flange face 5 adapted to boltingly receive the mating flanged face of the horizontally disposed conduit l supplying fluid to the valve, and whose lower concentric portion rst downwardly contracts and then expands throughout the height of the discharge throat to merge into and form the downwardly facing discharge fiange S, which boltingly receives the similarly flanged discharge conduit S below. The inner casing 3 merges into the upper connes of the inwardly sweeping outer casing 2 which deiines the upper limits of the valve body l, as may be seen in Fig. 2, where it will be apparent that this inwardly sweeping upper portion of 2, in merging with the upper portion of 3, forms on its uppersurface a flange face which matingly receives the bolted ange i@ of domed cover I I.

Outer shell 2 and inner shell 3 are also connected one to the other throughout the major portion of the valves height by two vertical members I2, Figs. 3, 4l, 5 and 6, which are symmetrically curved in plan to form the side walls of a spade-shaped vertical passage i3, Fig. l., affording communication between the interior of the inner shell 3 at its upper terminal, and the annular cored passage Ifi surrounding the expanding discharge throat at its lower terminal. The annular cored passage Ill is provided with radially cored po-rts l5 through the wall of the expanding discharge throat 3 beneath the valve seat i6.

Near the upper terminal of vertical passage i3 an outwardly extending port il, Figs. 1 and 5, pierces the outer shell 2, and is provided with a circular flange face iS which boltingly receives the elbow I9 of air pipe 2) which extends upwards to the atmosphere at a level higher than. that of the fluid surface controlled or, if desired, the flange of an automatic air valve similar to that described in my ccpending application, Ser. No. 649,222, led December 28, i932, may be attached thereto.

The interior of the inner casing 3 is bored concentric with the vertical axis lf the valve from the top down to its lower end, and a non-corrodible metal liner 2I is pressed tightly therein and bored in place, the bore in this liner being continued downward until it meets the inwardly contracting inner surfaces of the outer shell 2k above and adjacent to the discharge throat. The boring of liner ZI thus nishes the faces of the radial ribs l5 and the apexed merger of curved ribs I2 to form guides to maintain the reciprocatingly mounted needle 22 in correct vertical alignment with respect to seat i as it approaches the closed position, shown in Fig. 2. The seat I6 is a non-corrodible ring tightly pressed into a counterbore in the outer shell 2 and with its curving inwardly facing finished surfaces forming continuity with the adjacent portions of the valve body, as may be seen in Figs. l and 2.

Within the vertical bore of liner 2i and ribs il, and l2, the needle 22 is reciprocatingly mounted, its upper cylindrical outer diameter being made a close sliding t in this bore, while the curving merger of the lower portion of its cylindrical upper portion with the conical nose comprising its lower part, forms a cooperating seat surface to 'seatingly contact the oppositely curving female surfaces Vof seat ring it mounted in the body i below, whenever the needle reaches its lowest position as shown in Fig. 2.

The needle 22 is composed or non-corrodible metal and the interior of its cylindrical upper portion is bored from its upper end throughout its vertical length to a close sliding lit over the finished cylindrical periphery of diaphragm 23, which is also composed of non-corrodible metal and is formed integral with diaphragm tube 25, whose upwardly extending cylindrical shank length is finished to slidingly receive the closely tted non-corrodible bushing 25 which is pressed into the domed needle head 25, and 'there retained in place by the Countersunk screws 2l.

The outer peripheral boundary of needle head 2li is provided with a flanged surface whose under side matingly engages the similar upper surface of needle 22 and is held in bolted engagement thereto by the studs 28. Needle head 2S is maintained concentric with the needle 22 by shoulder 29, on the under side of its flanged face, which is turned to an accurate t in the bore of the needle,

The upper end of the bored interior of inner shell 3 is closed off by the domed head i I, whose ange Ill is held in bolted engagement with the top face of valve body I by the studs and is concentrically positioned with respect to this bore and the vertical axis of the valve by a downward facing shoulder IDA, on the lower side of flange i2, which has a turned diameter accurately iitted to this bore. Domed head El is provided with a central, downwardly extending hub Si whose lower portion merges into a hollow bridge member 32, Figs. l, 4 and 5` extending horizontally across the bore in inner shell The opposite ends of this hollow bridge member are accurately turned to make a tight fit in this bore.

The interior of hub 3i and the corresponding central portion of bridge member S2 are bored vertically to receive the upper portion of diaphragm tube 24 which is made a tight therein, and whose upper end face protrudes slightly above the upper surface of I l to enter a shallow counterbore in the under face of flanged cap 32A, whichY is centralized thereby with respect to 24 and I. Cap 32A is bolted to the upper end face of tube 26 and also to the top face of domed head II by the studs 33, Fig. l, and thereby maintains diaphragm 23 Vand diaphragm tube 2d immovable in the position as shown in the various igures.

It will be seen that the space within the inner shell 3 and the needle 22 is divided into three tandem chambers for receiving pressure for actuating the needle; the chamber A being dened by the upper portion of shell 3, the domed head II and the needle head while chambers B and C are formed within the needle l2 by the diaphragm 23. Pressure fluid in chambers A and C tends to move the needle to closed position, and pressure fluid in chamber B tends to move the valve to open position.

The cap 32A is tapped to threadably receive, concentric with the axis of the valve, the upwardly extending sealing member which is bored to slidingly receive the control tube and is provided with vertically spaced annular resistance grooves 35 in said bore to prevent fluid from the valves interior from escaping through the clearance provided between tr 1 in sealing member 34 and the outer surface of control tube 35. A plugged pipe tap 34A in thc outer wall of the sealing member 34 communicates with the annular cavity within member to receive a small drain pipe, not shown, if, when assenso so disposed. of therethrough. Under normal conditions, no drain pipe is required.

YDomed head H isprovided with a boss 35, Figs; l and '7, upon its upper face to threadably receive nipple SS.- to whose upper end the T '35 is thread-g Y edly attached. A vertical air vent pipev :il ein tends upwards from this T with its upper end open; tio the atmosphere at anelevation soniewhat above the maximum level attained by that" ofthe iluid body in the reservoir. Ii desired, an automatic air valve similar to that disclose-:l in my copending application, above-mentioned, may be attached directly to the T 6) in lieu of pipe 4i. To the horizontal leg of `the T di! a reservoir pressure supply pipe @E is connected with a stop valve i3 inserted therein in such man-- ner that by opening this Valve reservoir pressure can be admitted into chamber A within the valve whenv putting same into service, as will de` scribed later.

By reference to Fig. i it will be seen that the lower conical portion of needle 22 terminates in a tapped boss All. provided with a shouldered tace 4,5 against which a similar shoulder upon the matingly threaded plug 455 engaged. The lower end of this plug terminates in a roundnosed conical surface formed in continuity with the similar outer conical surface oi the needle 22. The upwardly extending threaded portion of plug 4.5' continues above the upper surface oi. boss M within the interior of the needle and terminates in an inwardly converging conical valve seat surface lll whose upper limits: are dcned by the upper end face of the plug dii.

This seat surface il is cooperatingly engaged by the similar mati-ngly formed conical seat i9y provided at the lower end of control tube 35, which, when in engagement with the seat 4l, as shown in Fig. 2, forms a huid-tight join-t and thereby prevents iluid in chamber C from escaping upwards therefrom through the interior of tubetl. A small vertical drain. hole 4S. in plug 45. is in effective communication with chamber C onlyv when the tube 3.5 is raised from Contact with the seat 4l.

above with its upper end tapped to receive the similarly threaded lower end 5E! of lifting yoke 5l, whose symmetrically disposed arms Si support the weights 53. The'upper portion of yolrev 5i terminatesk inv a tapped. boss 54 which thread-- ably receives the lower end extension 55 of a turn buckle or other suitable device connected by cable or other means, not shown, to an appropriate flo-at mechanism employed toy actuate the valve7 such for example, as is illustrated in the patent to Kinzie and Savage, No. 1,878,150, granted Sep tember 20, 1932. Such iloat mechanisms are well understood by those skilled in the art, and will therefore not be described or illustrated in thisv application; it being understood that such a device is employed, and that by suitable mechanism incorporated in it uid level variations at the reservoir are thereby magnied and then .im pressed upon the yoke 5I and tube 35 as equivalent rnotions of enlarged scope in an .upward direction when. the controlled fluid level rises,

amd inav downward; direc-tion as the. controlled fluid falls, and so causing'theneedleZZ torise and fall. insiinilar manner, thereby opening and. clos ingthe.A valve as will. be presently described.

The; exterior. cylindrical surface ci tube 35 is made an easy sliding fit within the bore of the member edlen tcp. of the valve, and also within that. portion ci the. diaphragm tube 2d, Figs'. l and'Z, where for a shcrt. vertical distance the bored boss :'i makes a practically fluid-tight l joint around the tube to segregate the annular chamber 5i enclosed by the upper portion of diaphragmA tubeY 'it from the similar chamber below the bored boss 56.

. Turning again toFig. l, it will be seen that control tube is provided with radial ports 53 (see also Fig. 8) through its walls immediately below the lower end oi sealing member 313, and that these ports provide communication between the interior ci' the tube 35 and the annularchamber 5?,.Figs. l., 2 and 5, which here surrounds it, and in consequence of this iact uid passing upwards from chamber C throng 35i will escape through ports` 5S into annular chamber 5l, from which it is discharged through the twc ports 5g in the walls of diaphragm tube 2li, into the annular ring port tu, Figs. l and 5, in the hub portion of he bridge member Ring ports 5i] open into passage di which extends towards the right through the bridge member 32 to register with thev upper end of vertical passage I3, through which the pressure fluid from chamber C passes downward into annular passage ill and is discharged therefrom through the radial ports i5 into the throat below valve seat l.

By the arrangement and construction o the control tube 3.5 and its associated parts as just described, it functicnssrnoothly and easily with a minimum of friction in controlling the movements of the needle, and. in consequence of that fact, the valve is made more sensitive and respon.- sive to minute fluctuations of duid level because the Hoei-actuated mechanism need exert but a very' small force tc make the valve respond to its movements. i

Pressure uid is supplied. to` the actuating chainbers'within the valvefrom inlet conduit passage 5, Fig. l, through the perforated end Wall e2 of tubular' bridge member 32', this wall being pierced; by a large number of smallv holes to form a screen which prevents foreign material large enough to cause trouble from gaining access to the interiorports and. passages. YPressure luid, after passing the perforated walll 52 enters the cored passage in bridge member 32, whose opposite end communicates with the annularring port 64, Figs. l and Ll, to deliver the pressure uid into theV two vertical passages cored in the diaphragm tube Ell. The pressure fluid flows downwards through the two passages S5 and out or their lower ends Fig. l, immediately above and adjacent tothe upper surface. of diaphragm 23 and into.Y chamberB. By this arrangement chamber B issubjccted to reservoir pressure constantly se long as the valve is in service, and by leakage through the carefully predetermined clearance provided between the periphery of diaphragm 23 and the adjacent bore of needle 22, a limited quantity of pressure fluid is supplied to chamber C, which is in constant communication with chamber fr above by the annular space 5l, Figs. l, 2, 3 andv 6, between the control tube 35 andthe portion of the interior walls of diaphragm tube 2li below the boss 5d. The upper portion of space 61'v communicates withthe two ports 68,

Figs. 2 and 6, which open through the walls of 24 directly into chamber A.

Valves employed in the service and for the purposes herein described are normally subjected to quite moderate Working pressures produced by fluid heads which seldom if ever exceed fifty feet above the valve, and, in consequence of this fact, the attendant velocities of flow and iiuid pressures which they are required to control are below the values where this principle of constant intercommunication between chambers A and C begins to become objectionable by making operation uncertain and difficult to accomplish, which condition has developed when this constant intercommunication has been employed under the higher heads.

By this arrangement chamber B, being under constant reservoir pressure, tends to open the valve by raising the needle 22, and will so do until such time as control tube 35 is seated upon plug 48, thereby stopping off escape of fluid from chambers A and C, whereupon the controlled leakage from B into these chambers builds up pressure therein, and since their combined areas are much greater than that of chamber B, the downward force which they now create is greater than the upward force produced in chamber B. When this occurs, the needle 22 will start to move downward, drawing seat '4l on needle tip plug S5 away from seat 4S on the bottom end of control tube 35, thereby progressively opening the interior of tube 35 to allow the escape of fluid from chambers A and C until such time that a balance of forces between chambers A and C and chamber B is established, whereupon further movement of the needle will cease until such time as the control tube 35 is again shifted.

From this it is evident that continued downward movement of control tube 35 will be accompanied by an equivalent continued downward movement of the needle 22, and, conversely, that continued upward movement of control tube will be accompanied by equivalent upward movement of the needle. As noted above, the turnbuckle E5 is connected to appropriate float controlled mechanism when the needle valve forms part of a system for automatically maintaining a supstantially constant water level in a reservoir. The hydraulic chambers by which' the flow controlling weirs are supported communicate with the inlet pipe l of the needle valve, and the height of the crests of the weirs is adjusted by regulating the iiow of water through the needle Valve. As the water level in the reservoir rises, the controltube 35 is automatically lifted by the float mechanism, and the resultant opening movement of the needle 22 permits the more rapid flow of water through pipe 1, thus reducing the volume of water in the hydraulic chambers which support the weirs.

Valves such as those herein described and illustrated are usually protected by a gate valve in the inlet conduit '1, permitting this conduit leading to the valve to be closed so that its interior may from time to time be inspected and cleaned. This arrangement also gives protection against freezing temperatures, for the gate valve can then be closed, the float connecting mechanism attached to the turnbuckle 55 above the valve blocked against movement, and then by screwing down nut 69, Fig. l, on rod 19, which is attached to plug 55 in the nose of the needle, until nut t9 bears on the face l! of the yoke 5|, the needle ZE may be raised slightly off its seat I6 to allow any reasonable leakage past the gate valve into conduit 'I to drain away.

Drain hole 48, Fig. l, in the plug 46 at the lower end of needle 22 allows chamber C to drain directly vinto the outlet conduit 9 below, likewise chamber A which is in direct communication with chamber C, while any fluid contained within chamber B will gradually leak past the diaphragm 23 through the leakage clearance there provided, into chamber C and likewise escape through 48. When the valve is in service and closed while under pressure, no leakage escapes through drain hole t3, because tube 35 has its seat 49 in engagement with seat 4l and hole 48 is inside of this seat and is then cut ofi' from draining chamber C.

Valves such as those herein described usually operate at partial openings; i. e., the needle is seldom raised more than a fraction of its full opening travel, and, under such conditions, there is a marked tendency for negative pressures to be present in the discharge throat below the seat It. Such a condition is detrimental to the adjacent metallic surfaces and reduces the useful life of the apparatus within which it occurs. These negative pressures likewise tend to produce serious surges in the fluid column below the valve, raf-nich sometimes develop to dangerous magnitudes. rThe formation of such negative pressures and surges is prevented by air coming down pipe 20, Fig. l, through port il into vertical passage i3, into annular passage I4 and through the radial ports l5 into the zone where such negative pressures would otherwise develop. From this it will be seen that vertical passage i3 in the valve. body is very important for proper functioning of the valve as it serves a dual purpose; namely, it affords a self-contained drain for disposal of waste fluid coming from the control system, and it also serves to supply air to the discharge throat in the lower portion of the Valve and thereby prevents the progressive development of negative pressures in that zone as well.

In order that valves such as those illustrated herein may successfully function, it is essential that the actuating chambers and their intercommunicating ports and passageways subjected to fluid pressure be freed from trapped air. This is accomplished automatically in the valve illus- -trated in the following manner. Air within chamber C, beneath diaphragm 23, Fig. 1, escapes through the two cored ports l2 into Vertical passage 6l and from thence into chamber A through the ports 68, Fig. 2. Air within chamber B is collected beneath the under side of the domed needle head 26, passed through the cored ports 13 through the radial ribs 14, around the outer circumference of the hub containing bushing 25 to the plug l5, tapped into needle head 26. rljhis plug has a small drilled hole 'IS through its center and constitutes a calibrated orifice for venting air into chamber A, but which will not permit the escape of any substantial quantity of pressure fluid when there is no air to be vented. Chamber A is open to the atmosphere at all times through pipe 4l which, as before explained, rises to an elevation higher than that of the liquid surface being controlled, and is there opened to the air. By this arrangement all the interior cavities of the valve are vented automatically at all times, but the desired relative uid pressures are maintained in the several chambers.

When putting the valve into service, it will be evident from the previous description and from inspection of Fig. 1, that were the gate valve (not shown) in conduit v'l controllingthe inlet 5 rto the valve to beopened, pressure fluid would --rst be admitted to chamber B, causing the valve to immediately open (there being as yet no fluid in chambers A and C), and ii the hydraulic chamber to which the valve is controllingly attached were to be of limited cubical capacity, its contents would be drained out before sufcien-t fluid Would leak into chambers A and C to maize them-effective in closing the valve. To prevent this :condition from occurring, the plug valve in 4pipe 42'1eading from the reservoir is opened first to ll chambers A and C with pressure ii-uid, which will then hold the valve closed, after Which valve 43 is closed again andthe gate valve in supply conduit l lis then opened. (Perfeet controler the'valveis thus established immediately and the needle moves to the lposition vdetermined by the setting of 'the control tube '35.

vt will *be apparent that the invention is not limited 'to the particular construction herein '-illustrated and described, vor to the joint use of -all of the novel structural features and relationships incorporated therein. With appropriate changes in -the form of the Valve body and the connections to the control -tube '35, the needle valve maybe arranged axially of the ali-ned inlet and outlet 'ports of the'valve. high 4pressure headset-Which leakage lbetween the cylindrical wall of the gneed-le 22a-nd the 'line-r 2l may give rise to'uncertain operation when the chamber A is subjected Ato duid pressure, the

pressure fiuid vmay be 4confined Yto chambers B and *C lby omitting the ports "68 which place chambers A-and Cin-continuous communication. The lspace A may then 'be rcontinuously vented to atmosphere and not 'subjected lto any duid pressure, as described and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 544,1880, iiled June lTo those vskilled in Ithe art. to `'vvliich this linvention relates it vwill `be Jobvious that modifica-v tions may 4'be made in the details of construction 'of the parts and their relative arrangement Without Ydeparting from `the spirit of my vinventionvor the scope of the followingclaim's.

jI claim: A

l. In a valve 'of the needle type, a casing having an 'inlet 'and an outlet, ak shell With-in saidL casing land 'secured'thereto by a plural-ity of radial ribs, -a valve seat adjacent the said outlet, a 'needle slidable in said shell andes-operating with said seat vto 'control Viiuid iioW ythrough said casing, means providing -a plurality of chambers for 'receiving pressure fluid to actuate said 'needle, and-means for supplying ,pressure uid to' plurality oi radial ribs extending lbetween saidV casing and shell, `a needle slidable in saidfshell'v and cooperating .with a 'seat Von said casing, means cooperating with said needle to form a Vpair of chambers Within the needle, an :exhaust fluid passage 4formed between lsaid casing andl shell, Lsaidpassa'ge extending along said casing between .an adjacent pair -of said ribs and openfor supplying pressure'iluidto one oi said cham- Or, tor use under ber-s, and means for exhausting pressure lfluid from the other chamber vto said fluid passage.

3. 1in-a needle valve, a casing having an inlet and `an outlet, a shell within the cas-ing, a plurality of ribs connecting said shell and casing, a needle slidable in said shell, meanscooperating with said needle to form Aa plurality oi Ypressure chambers, `means ier supplying pressure `duidto said chambers, and means for exhausting pressure fluid from-one of said chambers, said 4exhausting means vincluding an exhaust passage which opens into the outlet of said casing and is formed between said shell and casing by -a pair of ribs.

4. A needle valve ycomprising a casing having a valve sea-t, a cylinder With-in and lspaced `from said casing to provide a fluid' conduit there- 'th-rough, va nee-die slida'ble in said cylinder, a diaphragm tube supporting a diaphragm Within said needle, la needle head 4slidable on lsaid, tube, passages within said tube communicating Wit-h the chambers formed within said needle at opposite sides of said diaphragm, arid means for control-ling the `position of said needle by regulatir-1g the relative pressures of the lilu-id Within the same; said means including a-bridge member extending'across said cylinder and having a "hub surrounding said tube, vpressure fluid supply and 'exhaust passages in said bridge member, Yand ports 'in ysaid hub tlor establishing communicar tion between the passages of said 'bridge lmember and said tube.V Y 5. A needle `valveas claimed in claim 4, Wherein the pressure luidsupplypassage-of said bridge ing aiiordi-ng communicati'on vbetween the said flu-id `passage `and the exhaust passage -of said bridge member, and an outlet opening lior 4said fluid passage into the Lilu-id conduit -of said casing beyond the said 'valve seat.

7. In a needle val-ve, a'ca'si-ng, acylinder Within the casing, `a'needle Within the cylinder and having a `needle head, a diaphragm tube extend-ing through said @head and carrying -a diaphragm which cooperates-With said needle land?"-lleadgt'o form Vtwo tandem pressure 'chambers Within `said needle, a "bridge member extending across' said cylinder and having -a hub closely -fitting said tube, a pressure fluid inlet passage and lan exhaust fluid 4passageiri v'said bridge member, passages in said tube for .communication Wi-th said chambers, ports in said hub Lto :aiord :communication .between the passages :in said lbr'idge member .and :said tube, and .control means Eier `asegulating Vthe :flowof pressure iiuid through at least one .of .said passages, `thereby to control ,the iposition of fsaid'needle. Y, f f

' a3. Ylinari-cecile valve, 'acasng having inlet and outlet flanges disposed 4at :right angles to nach othenapcylinder .merging inte saidgcasing and arranged axially of said outlet ange, said cylinder beingspaced from said casing to provide `a 7G fluid Aconduit between the same, ;a valveseat 4adjacent said .outlet harige, a needle ,s'lidable inpsaid cylinder, a cover secured to said casing Ato close one end .ofA said cylinder., .means cooperating with said needle "to vform a plurality 0f pressure chambers, an exhaust fluid passage 'between said cylineuid conduit @mais valve :A

Lio"

der and casing, said exhaust fluid passage opening into said fluid conduit beyond said valve seat, means for introducing pressure fluid into one of said pressure chambers, and control means for regulating the escape of pressure fluid from another of said chambers to said exhaust conduit.

9. A needle valve as claimed in claim 8, in combination with means for introducing air into said exhaust fluid passage to prevent the establishment of a negative pressure below said valve seat, said means preventing the passage therethrough of iiuid exhausted into said exhaust iiuid passage.

10. A needle valve as claimed in claim 8, wherein said means cooperating with said needle comprises a diaphragm tube secured to said cover and supporting a diaphragm within said needle, and a head on said needle and slidable on said tube.

11. In a needle valve, a casing, a cylinder therein and spaced therefrom to provide a iluid conduit through said casing, a valve seat on said casing, a needle slidable in said cylinder, a diaphragm tube supporting a diaphragm within said needle, a head on said needle and slidable on said tube, a control tube having a close sliding iit within an interior boss on said diaphragm tube, means including passages in said diaphragm tube for supplying pressure fluid to both of the chambers formed within said needle at opposite sides of said diaphragm, exhaust passages, and cooperating valve means on said control tube and needle for regulating the exhaust of pressure iluid from one of said chambers.

12. A needle valve as claimed in claim 11 wherein a third pressure chamber is formed between said cylinder and said needle head, and the inner wall of said diaphragm tube is spaced from said control tube to provide a pair of annular passages at opposite sides of said boss, a port in said diaphragm .tube aording continuous communication between said third chamber and the chamber at the nose of said needle through one of said annular passages, and said exhaust passages include said control tube and the second of said annular passages.

13. In a needle valve, a casing havinginlet and outlet anges, a cylinder merging into said casing and axially alined with said outlet flange, a needle slidable in said cylinder and cooperating with a valve seat in said casing adjacent said outlet flange, a cover closing one end of said cylinder and having a hub coaxial therewith, a diaphragm tube in said hub and supporting a diaphragm within said needle, a member extending from said hub and providing a pressure fluid inlet passage communicating with the conduit space between said casing and cylinder, an exhaust passage in said member, a control tube having a close sliding fit in a boss formed at an intermediate portion of said diaphragm tube, a pair of annular spaces being formed between said diaphragm tube and control tube at opposite sides of said boss, passages in Said diaphragm tube for supplying fluid pressure to the chambers formed within said needle at opposite sides of said diaphragm, a port in said hub Yaiording communication between said inlet fluid passage and the said passages in said diaphragm tube, a port in said hub providing communication between one of said annular spaces and the exhaust passage of said member, said control tube having a port opening into the said annular space, and cooperating valve means on said control tube and needle for regulating the Vflow of exhaust fluid through said control tube.

14. A needle valve as claimed in claim 13, wherein a third pressure chamber is formed by said cylinder and said needle head, and said diaphragm tube is provided with a port aiiording continuous free communication between said third pressure chamber and the chamber at the nose of said needle through the second of said annular spaces.

15. A needle valve as set forth in claim 13, wherein said member extends transversely of said cylinder, and the exhaust passage therein communicates with an exhaust fluid passage formed between said casing and cylinder by a pair of radial ribs.

16. In a needle valve, a casing having inlet and outlet openings inV planes at right angles to each other, a cylinder axially alined with said outlet opening, one end of said cylinder being adjacent said outlet opening and the other end joining said casing, a cover closing said second end of said cylinder, a hub supported by said cover within and coaxial of said cylinder, means including said needle and a tube mounted in said hub to forma plurality of pressure chambers within said needle, said tube having passages therein communicating wth the respective chambers, pressure inlet and exhaust passages communicating with the respective passages of said tube, and control means extending through said tube for regulating the exhaust of fluid from one of` said pressure chambers.

17. The invention as set forth in claim 16, wherein said pressure inlet and exhaust passages communicating with the respective passages of said tube comprise, a hollow bridge member extending in opposite directions from said hub to the circumference of said cylinder, and ports in said hub affording communication between the passages provided by said hollow bridge member and the passages of said tube.

18. In a needle valve, a casing having a valve seat, a cylinder within said casing and axially alined with said valve seat, a needle movable in said cylinder, a closure for the end of said cylinder opposite said valve seat, a hub on said closure and supporting a bridge member transversely of said cylinder, a diaphragm tube supported in said hub, a diaphragm on said tube and within said needle, a needle head slidable on said tube, a set of inlet and exhaust passages in said bridge member, a set of inlet and exhaust passages in said tube opening into the pressure chambers formed within said needle at opposite sides of said diaphragm, ports in said hub affording communication between the passages of said sets, and control means within said casing to control the flow of a pressure medium in certain of said passages, said control means extending axially through said tube and hub to the exterior of said casing.

19. In a needle Valve, a casing, a vertically arranged cylinder within and spaced from the same, a valve seat on said casing below and coaxial with said cylinder, a needle within said cylinder, means cooperating with said cylinder and needle to provide three tandem compartments, two of said compartments being pressure uid chambers within said needle, means venting the third compartment to atmosphere, and means constituting continuously open vents for venting air from the chambers within said needle into the said third compartment.

20. A needle valve as claimed in claim 19, in combination with a control tube and a cooperating valve seat at the nose of said needle for regulating the exhaust of pressure fluid from the compartment at the nose of said needle, and a continuously open drain opening through the nose of said needle and arranged Within the circumference of said control tube, whereby pressure luid may escape through said drain opening only When said control tube is not engaged upon said cooperating Valve seat.

21. In a needle valve, a casing, a needle slidable Within said casing, means cooperating with said needle to form a plurality of chambers for receiving pressure fluid to actuate said needle, a control tube extending into said needle and slidable With respect to said casing and needle, valve means carried by said needle and cooperating with said control tube to regulate the exhaust of pressure fluid from one of said charnbers, and means adjustable to regulate the range of the sliding movement of said tube with respect to said needle, whereby adjustment of said adjustable means when the control tube is held sta- 10 tionary results in movement of said needle.

PHILLIP A. KENZIE. 

